Category Archives: IP Key Systems

Not many years ago, this question would have sounded absurd. Traditional desk phones were the primary mode of business communications. Even as the Internet brought new options like email and instant messaging, these couldn’t truly replace a voice conversation.

But now, with VoIP at work in most offices across the world, the question arises: do you still need your desk phone?

VoIP and Cloud Communications have enabled the development of voice tools that transcend the desk phone. Softphones are now available for desktop computers, laptops, and even smartphones and tablets. In their earliest days, softphones were convenient for some kinds of calls, but would not have been sufficient to entirely replace the desk phone. Softphones today can do everything that a desk phone can do – and often much more.

Concerned about a local presence? Softphones can still give you a local number, as well as a global reach.

For me, the answer to the question is “no.” I said goodbye to my desk phone years ago when I started using gloCOM. Available for both desktop and mobile, gloCOM offers everything my desk phone did, and much more.

Others will not be ready to remove the phone from their desk. The good news is that unified communications apps (like gloCOM) often integrate with desk phones for the best of both worlds.

Still there are others that do not want to bother with modern technology and learning something new. After all, if it’s not broke… To them I would suggest IP Key Systems. A traditional key system that “just works”, but with some powerful technology hidden away under the hood.

What about you? Do you still have a desk phone? Would you give it up today?

A Key System – also known as a Key Telephone System (KTS) – is a very basic and traditional form of telephony primarily used by small and medium businesses.

Ideal for businesses with less than 30 users, traditional Key Systems include a central controller and multiple telephones. Each telephone has a button for every phone line.

Key Systems have been around in some form since the 1930s, but remain in use today despite new technologies. Many businesses decide to keep their Key System because they are simple and “just work”. By opting out of the VoIP trend, they are missing out on modern features and advantages.

For this reason, Bicom Systems created the IP Key System – Tradition Reinvented. Learn more about IP Key Systems here.

It seems at times as if Key Systems have been around since before Alexander Graham Bell, certainly the dust that has grown up on them over the years is proof of this. And still they work. Well – almost!

For sure, I can still get the spare parts from Panasonic and Nortel’s BCM. However, my service provider is apparently stopping all TDM service in 2020. I asked my dry cleaner this morning as I picked up the laundry what he’s going to do.

His reply, as with just about everything he does, as he runs back and forward between the shop counter and the storage, was simply, ‘clean-up’.

Understandable, but not exactly with much direction, and this seems to be the case with about a quarter of the country. Here’s the news, to repeat some puns, “You’re going the cleaners!”

It’s a problem though. He’s not got time for a VoIP system. He just needs something to carry on working.

The Key System has a glorious history in Telecommunications using Line Presence as a feature that every customer could understand.

For this reason, we sat down and tried to find a solution. With Bicom’s Key Systems, we sought to provide tradition re-invented. You are able to use modern VoIP capabilities without having to retrain your customers on how to use their phone.

You have shiny new phones, yes. You have a choice of providers for your calls with much less cost. But for the user, they can still just pick up and make a call. Pick up and receive a call then transfer the line. It works.

Features, such as auto provisioning for your phones along with true Plug & Play capability, creates a winning combination.

Bicom Systems had a stand at ITEXPO in Florida this year with great success. With a constant flow of visitors, we were kept busy from open to close. Among other things, one of our purposes was to introduce our new IP KEY SYSTEMS product.